The Willow Blood

"Let me guess," Liana said. "I've done something wrong."

"No, in fact, you've done everything right. Sowing chaos and destruction so we have more souls to torment," High Lord Zenthe said.

"Well done, Princess," Viscount Drusan smiled.

Liana winced.

"Let my mother go."

High Lady Friste pouted. "But she seems sooo nice. It's sickening, really."

"High Lady Friste, I beg of you. Let Queen Coraline go."

"But then, we won't get the Willow blood."

Queen Coraline's eyes widened as realization dawned on her. "You mean the blood of my ancestors?"

"Yes," Viscountess Roniv said.

High Lady Friste elaborated, "The Willow bloodline is what created the Masters to begin with. High Lord Zenthe was the first of us and made a Master by a member of the Willow bloodline. And so, we have an innate need for your blood."

"Then take mine," Liana said.

The Masters all looked at her.

"Will my blood work?"

"You know what it costs," High Lord Zenthe said.

"I do. But will my blood work? You need the blood of a female descendant of the Willow bloodline, but I've reincarnated."

"It still will," High Lady Friste said.

"Then take mine instead. Leave my mother out of this. You'll get more power from me anyways. Plus, I have all eternity to give it."

Her family looked on, so confused.

"Liana, what are you talking about?" Harmon asked.

"When I died, I went to Hell. But Crown Prince Leo already told you guys this part. What you guys don't know is that when the Masters found me, they decided to keep me near them. You'll call it torture, but they call it playing."

"You were our favorite," Viscount Drusan said.

Liana winced again. But then she steeled herself, ready to give her final ultimatum. She turned to look at the Masters.

"If you let my mother go, I will not only give you my blood, but I will also willingly return to Hell with you."

Her family cried out in protest.

"No!"

"Liana!"

"You don't have to do this!"

The Masters smirked.

"You were right, Viscount Drusan."

"As always, High Lord Zenthe."

"Right about what?"

Viscount Drusan turned to look at Liana as he said, "You."

Liana's face twisted in confusion.

High Lord Zenthe explained, "Viscount Drusan said that you'd still be you. Even after we had tried desperately to break your spirit."

Viscountess Roniv added, "And now, you're willing to sacrifice you time in the land of the living for your mother's life."

Duchess Kupris said, "Nothing about you has changed, despite what we've done to you."

"So?" Liana asked.

Suddenly, Viscount Drusan released her mother and surged forward. He grabbed Liana's wrist, roughly.

"We're going home."

"Coraline!" King Russell cried as he held his terrified wife.

"Liana!" Harmon yelled.

But the Masters disappeared, taking her with them. When they reappeared in front of the Masters' palace home in Hell, they turned to look at her.

"What?"

"Your blood," High Lady Friste said.

Liana nodded and watched as the Mistress walked towards her. She brushed Liana's hair to the side and drew a blade across her jugular vein.

"Ahh!"

"Calm down," Viscountess Roniv said. "Otherwise, you'll bleed more than necessary."

"Why would you care?"

"Because," Viscount Drusan said. "In three days time, I believe it'll be time for a ceremony."

"What? What kind of ceremony?"

Once the Masters had taken the blood the needed, High Lord Zenthe healed Liana's neck.

"You should rest soon. It'll take time for your blood to rejuvenate," he said.

The others nodded in agreement.

"What ceremony?" she persisted.

They gave her an odd look before Viscount Drusan answered her.

"For you to become one of us. As a Mistress of Hell."